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Australia’s Northern Territory has decriminalised abortion as part of wide-ranging reforms on the medical termination of pregnancy. Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the laws bring the territory in line with the rest of Australia. The reforms legalise the use of abortion drugs, such as RU486, up to nine weeks into a pregnancy. They also allow

Voluntary euthanasia has been knocked back in South Australian Parliament for the 15th time after a marathon late session in the House of Assembly overnight. Key points: MP’s conscience vote tied at 23 votes for and against Speaker uses casting vote to defeat bill Voluntary euthanasia bills defeated 15 times in SA The bill

The Labor Government of the Australian state of Victoria will introduce legislation into the Parliament next year to legalise assisted suicide. The Labor Party will allow its MPs a conscience vote. Assisted suicide recently failed in the South Australian Parliament, but only after the Speaker cast the deciding vote. Supporters of change have been buoyed up by

Former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke has emerged as a strong supporter of legalised euthanasia. In an interview on ABC Radio, he said that some people were dying in terrible pain and should be able to schedule their own deaths. In his judgement, it is an “inarguable case”: “In my judgement, there’s no moral or

TASMANIA’S lower house has rejected voluntary euthanasia by the narrowest of margins. The private members bill, co-sponsored by Labor Premier Lara Giddings and Greens leader Nick McKim, was defeated 13-11 with Speaker Michael Polley effectively using his casting vote against it. Debate in the 25-member House of Assembly had indicated a 12-12 result after all

Abortion is the subject of criminal law in all Australian states and territories, except the Australian Capital Territory. Each state and territory has legislation prohibiting unlawful abortion. Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory have legislation in place that provides a statutory explanation of when an abortion is not unlawful. In the